Chinese farmer reinvents Noah's Ark as a sphere

Farmer Liu Qiyuan looks out from inside one of seven survival pods he has built on Dec. 11.

Inspired by the apocalyptic Hollywood movie '2012' and the 2004 Asian tsunami, Farmer Liu Qiyuan hopes that his creation, dubbed "Noah's Ark," will be adopted by government departments and international organizations for use in the event of tsunamis and earthquakes. Liu has built seven pods which are able to float on water, and some even have their own propulsion system. The pods consist of a fiberglass shell wrapped around a steel frame. The airtight spheres with varying interiors contain oxygen tanks and seat belts with space for around 14 people, and are designed to remain upright when in water.